The Seattle Seahawks opted not to franchise tag their top running back last season and ended up losing him to free agency. Kenneth Walker III was named Super Bowl MVP in February and shortly after joined the Kansas City Chiefs, leaving the defending champs with big shoes to fill.
They have yet to fill those shoes effectively.
Running back Zach Charbonnet is still recovering from a torn ACL he sustained last season, and rookie first-round pick Jadarian Price is on IR with a chest injury. Injuries aside, the Seahawks don’t have the level of talent they did in Walker last season. But one name floating around the trade deadline conversation could fix Seattle’s run game woes.
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley could find a new home, and the Seahawks are certainly a team that makes sense. Let’s take a look at the case for and against trading for Barkley.
Case for trading for Barkley
The Seahawks aren’t playing as well as they hoped after their Super Bowl win in 2025. The team was sitting at .500 heading into Week 7, and a victory over the Chiefs on “Sunday Night Football” put some spark in their struggling offense. What would give them even more of a spark is a stronger run game.
After trading away Walker, their ground game is a shell of what it was. Quarterback Sam Darnold has struggled with interceptions, tied for second-most in the league (7) through Week 6. Without a strong run game, quarterbacks can be forced to throw the ball, feeling they have limited options, and that pressure can lead to poor decision-making. If Darnold has a strong running back, the entire offense would feel the impact, and defenses would be forced to game-plan for a player who can make something into nothing on the ground.
We have seen what value the combination of wide receiver Jaxson Smith-Njigba and Walker did last season, which got them all the way to a Lombardi Trophy. Adding Barkley could greatly increase the team’s playoff chances.
Adding Barkley solves two problems with one player. The Seahawks would get the clear RB1 they’ve been missing, and the Eagles can get future picks to begin building with some youth.
Currently, the Seahawks’ run game ranks second-worst in EPA per rush. Seattle just shored up its offensive line with the addition of Quenton Nelson from the Indianapolis Colts. Now’s a great time to add to that offensive unit.
Case for not trading for Barkley
Barkley is a solid RB1, but he does have some cons. He’s older, and he does have a history of injuries. To the over-29 crowd reading this, take no offense, you’re certainly not old, but for a running back, 29 is up there. Backs typically have a short career, so 29 is older in the running back world than it is for everyone else.
Now let’s get to the injury part. He already missed two games due to injury this season. He isn’t the most injury-prone RB out there, but as he ages, the chances of missing games will only go up.
Another reason not to trade for Barkley is that the Seahawks already have a young core of running backs they can build around. They will be getting Charbonnet and Price back soon and can see what their offense can look like with them.
Then we have Barkley’s price. CBS Sports’ own Carter Bahns says one version of this deal could involve the Eagles receiving Emanuel Wilson, a 2027 third-round pick, and a 2027 fifth-round pick.
Even if the Seahawks don’t make a playoff run this year, the team would still be just two years removed from a championship next season. The quarterback and head coach should be the same, and they could make another run in 2027. Adding future draft picks allows them to add the pieces they need through the draft, rather than through an aging running back.
Final verdict
This is a trade I can see happening. The Seahawks just lost their MVP running back and desperately need to find a replacement. While Barkley won’t be at Walker’s level and likely doesn’t have as many years left in the NFL, he provides the stability needed and perhaps even the chance at another Super Bowl appearance. They can strike while the iron is hot.
The Seahawks’ run game is struggling, while in Kansas City, Walker is leading the league in rushing yards. Through six weeks, Seattle had 643 total rushing yards (107.2 yards per game), and Walker had them beat in total yards despite playing one fewer game, with 665 yards (113.0 per game). It wasn’t until the Chiefs played Seattle that that changed. The numbers don’t lie and show just how much of a hit losing Walker was. The Seahawks have a chance to correct the mistake of letting him walk out the door.
Now to the Eagles’ side of things.
Their season isn’t over, but even if they win the NFC East, which looks about as rough as it can get right now, it’s hard to envision them making it past the first round of the playoffs. They may be willing to send Barkley elsewhere to load up on picks for the future or on younger players.
Philly may even be looking for a new head coach soon, with Nick Sirianni among the coaches in the league on the hot seat. Keeping future picks could be part of working toward a rebuild that I envision coming sooner than later.
